Court upholds conviction of former IAS officer

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HimVani

Shimla: A division bench comprising of Justice Surjit Singh and Justice Kuldip Singh today upheld the conviction of S.M. Katwal, former Chairman, H.P. Subordinate Services Selection Board under sections 468 and 471 IPC and awarded rigorous imprisonment for one year each and Rs. 1000/- each for both the offences.

However, court dismissed the appeal of the state government for enhancement of sentence, setting charge aside under section 13 (2) Prevention of Corruption Act and Sections 218, 465 Indian Penal code.

The case pertained to the filling of vacancies for the post of Vidya Upasak in the year 2000. S.M. Katwal was charged with forging the marks list for monetary gains. Convict plead before the High Court, terming the charges false, denying overwriting in the list of marks. He has been convicted by the trial court earlier, as he had been charged for increasing the marks of six candidates after overwriting. During the investigation, the persecution has established that in case of five candidates the marks have been increased only in viva-voce, but not in total marks. However, it was proved in the court that there was one candidate whose marks were increased not only in viva voce, but also in total to include him in the final merit list.

While upholding the conviction, the Court was of the view that the accused changed the marks of candidate Zalam Singh in the award list dishonestly, thereby committing an offence of forgery punishable under section 468 IPC.

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